| The Demon |
Vost stood resolutely staring at the entrance to the chapel.
Long had the structure been a source of his anger, ever since that
day the Headmaster denounced him and removed him from the
order. He thought he would have his revenge when he led a
contingent of warriors to destroy the order and take what should
have been his. Midway through the slaughter the Headmaster had
rallied the order and managed to get them into the chapel. When
Vost ordered the door destroyed, a battering ram was brought
forward. After several hours the only damage was to the ram, its
head blunted and splintered. He ordered rocks be thrown through
the great stained glass windows, only to have them rebound as if
from stone. The men he commanded settled in for a siege, but after
a month there had been no sign of the protections of the chapel
fading. A messenger arrived some time later, ordering the troops
back to the main body of the army, but Vost remained. He seethed
at the memory of the Headmaster robbing him of what was
rightfully his.
Over the years he had tried many plans to gain access to the
chapel, to his enemies. His pets had been his most recent plan, but
now they were no more. That would have been more than enough
for Vost to kill the four interlopers, but then they compounded
their offenses to him. Whoever the men had been, they had been
permitted into the chapel. The door had opened for them and they
had barred it against him anew. He summoned the rage inside of
him and brought it to focus in his hands. A flame sprung up within
his palm and coalesced into a ball of fire. Occasionally he would
throw the flames at the door, but it refused to even singe. No
matter how hot his rage made the flames the door withstood them.
He waited, hoping that the four would emerge. As he waited he
allowed the old angers to burn within him, the rage growing and
empowering him more with every passing moment.
When the door of the hidden library opened, the friends
paused to watch the demon. He hadn’t seemed to notice them, his
eyes fixed firmly on the door of the chapel. Quietly, they moved
towards Vost’s back. Cory stayed near the doorway, hoping the
magic would keep him as concealed as the building. He flipped
open the spell book he had found inside the library to a page he
thought would be useful.
His companions continued their slow advance towards the
beast. They were less than ten yards from him when Vost’s head
jerked around as though he sensed something. A wicked laugh
escaped his horse shaped head as he saw them.
“So you have finally decided to come out and play, have you?”
His nostrils flared as he noticed the blade in Jay’s hand. With deep
growl he reached out his hand. “What you are holding is mine.
Give it to me and I will allow you to follow my greatness.”
Vost drew himself up as if he expected them to yield to his
overpowering magnificence. Jay gave Brent and Andy a quick
nod. Pausing he waved the blade through the air. “Oh, is that all
you want? This blade?”
Vost took a step forward, his eyes filled with greed. “It is my
rightful blade. The weakling that held it had no vision for the
future. The fool failed to see that the new gods were the stronger. I
alone among the order could do what was needed.”
“Interesting.” A glance told Jay that Brent and Andy were in
place. “So if I told you that the previous owner told me you were
unworthy of it, you would probably be less than pleased, yes?
This was clearly not the answer the demon expected. He
paused for just a moment as he stared at the insolent human
holding his prize. Then with a loud roar he swung his axe at Jay’s
head.
Jay was expecting the attack and had his blade up to block, but
what he hadn’t counted on was the raw strength of the beast. His
blade held, but numbness crept down his arm from the blow.
Stumbling backwards he barely dodged the demon’s next blow.
Brent swept in with his massive pole axe, but with lightning
reflexes the demon caught the blade on his axe and reversed its
momentum. Brent found himself flying through the air from the
force of the block. As he landed, the demon advanced on him
intent on crushing him. Suddenly, the demon howled in pain and
collapsed to a knee.
Andy had used the distraction to slice open the creatures
hamstring. He backed off before Vost could turn to face him,
smiling all the way. First blood was his. The demon roared out a
string of profanity then stood. Hatred burned undisguised in its
eyes, and then it began to smoke. Wisps of smoke could be seen on
the backs of its arms and from its head. Flames began to emerge
from the skin, and the demon seemed excited by it. With a startled
shout Andy threw his blade to the ground. Its leather wrapped hilt
grew black and began to smoke.
“Ah… guys, I think he’s mad now.” Andy pulled a dagger out and
threw it into the beast while he continued to retreat.
Long had the structure been a source of his anger, ever since that
day the Headmaster denounced him and removed him from the
order. He thought he would have his revenge when he led a
contingent of warriors to destroy the order and take what should
have been his. Midway through the slaughter the Headmaster had
rallied the order and managed to get them into the chapel. When
Vost ordered the door destroyed, a battering ram was brought
forward. After several hours the only damage was to the ram, its
head blunted and splintered. He ordered rocks be thrown through
the great stained glass windows, only to have them rebound as if
from stone. The men he commanded settled in for a siege, but after
a month there had been no sign of the protections of the chapel
fading. A messenger arrived some time later, ordering the troops
back to the main body of the army, but Vost remained. He seethed
at the memory of the Headmaster robbing him of what was
rightfully his.
Over the years he had tried many plans to gain access to the
chapel, to his enemies. His pets had been his most recent plan, but
now they were no more. That would have been more than enough
for Vost to kill the four interlopers, but then they compounded
their offenses to him. Whoever the men had been, they had been
permitted into the chapel. The door had opened for them and they
had barred it against him anew. He summoned the rage inside of
him and brought it to focus in his hands. A flame sprung up within
his palm and coalesced into a ball of fire. Occasionally he would
throw the flames at the door, but it refused to even singe. No
matter how hot his rage made the flames the door withstood them.
He waited, hoping that the four would emerge. As he waited he
allowed the old angers to burn within him, the rage growing and
empowering him more with every passing moment.
When the door of the hidden library opened, the friends
paused to watch the demon. He hadn’t seemed to notice them, his
eyes fixed firmly on the door of the chapel. Quietly, they moved
towards Vost’s back. Cory stayed near the doorway, hoping the
magic would keep him as concealed as the building. He flipped
open the spell book he had found inside the library to a page he
thought would be useful.
His companions continued their slow advance towards the
beast. They were less than ten yards from him when Vost’s head
jerked around as though he sensed something. A wicked laugh
escaped his horse shaped head as he saw them.
“So you have finally decided to come out and play, have you?”
His nostrils flared as he noticed the blade in Jay’s hand. With deep
growl he reached out his hand. “What you are holding is mine.
Give it to me and I will allow you to follow my greatness.”
Vost drew himself up as if he expected them to yield to his
overpowering magnificence. Jay gave Brent and Andy a quick
nod. Pausing he waved the blade through the air. “Oh, is that all
you want? This blade?”
Vost took a step forward, his eyes filled with greed. “It is my
rightful blade. The weakling that held it had no vision for the
future. The fool failed to see that the new gods were the stronger. I
alone among the order could do what was needed.”
“Interesting.” A glance told Jay that Brent and Andy were in
place. “So if I told you that the previous owner told me you were
unworthy of it, you would probably be less than pleased, yes?
This was clearly not the answer the demon expected. He
paused for just a moment as he stared at the insolent human
holding his prize. Then with a loud roar he swung his axe at Jay’s
head.
Jay was expecting the attack and had his blade up to block, but
what he hadn’t counted on was the raw strength of the beast. His
blade held, but numbness crept down his arm from the blow.
Stumbling backwards he barely dodged the demon’s next blow.
Brent swept in with his massive pole axe, but with lightning
reflexes the demon caught the blade on his axe and reversed its
momentum. Brent found himself flying through the air from the
force of the block. As he landed, the demon advanced on him
intent on crushing him. Suddenly, the demon howled in pain and
collapsed to a knee.
Andy had used the distraction to slice open the creatures
hamstring. He backed off before Vost could turn to face him,
smiling all the way. First blood was his. The demon roared out a
string of profanity then stood. Hatred burned undisguised in its
eyes, and then it began to smoke. Wisps of smoke could be seen on
the backs of its arms and from its head. Flames began to emerge
from the skin, and the demon seemed excited by it. With a startled
shout Andy threw his blade to the ground. Its leather wrapped hilt
grew black and began to smoke.
“Ah… guys, I think he’s mad now.” Andy pulled a dagger out and
threw it into the beast while he continued to retreat.